The Portland daily press., 1887-09-26
ALLOWED TO COMPETE.
Decision of Question which Has
Agitated the Yachtsmen.
Mr.. ReIl's Figures Not Intended to
Convey Wrong Information.
Designer Watson Takes Exceptions
to MIR. Schuyler's Language.

New YORK, Sept. 24.-The New York
Yach Club held a meeting tonight to discuss
the measurements of the Thistle, whose
water line is so much longer than the Volun-
teers. The matter was submitted to referee
who will report tomorrow. In any event, it
will not prevent the race
NEW YORK, Sept 25.-The following is
the report of the umpire, Mr.. George L.
Schuyler on the eligibility of the Thistle as
a competitor in the Americas cup race
To james ID. Smith, Esq, Chairman Of the
Americd,s Cup Committee, Nec York
Yacht Club:
My reply to the question submitted to me
by your committee Is as follows: The
clause in the deed of gift which requires be-
sides the Custom House measurement, a
statement of the dimensions Of the vessel Is
intended to convey.a just idea of her capacity
AT the same time, without reference to any
rule to racing tonnage which may be In force
at the time the challenge is given, the length
| of the load water line is an essential element
1t was furnished by both the Genesta and
Galatea and if it had not been. given
| by the Thistle, the committee should have
| demanded it before the time of the match.
Mr.. Bell did, however, furnish the load
| water line of the Thistle notwithstanding his
misapprehension of the necessity of doing
so for reasons as stated by himself, that If
i
impossible to determine with any approach
| to accuracy the power of his boat reason
| which proves the necessity of the lOad-water
line being factor in giving the dimensions
Bell to do everything in his power to make
a fair trial between the contestants for the
| cup.
Your second question refers to the dis
crepancy between the load-water line OF the
Thistle furnished by letter of March IL,
1887, about So feet" and the actual meas
murement made in New York of S6.46 feet.
The length of the load-water line of vessel
in commission is accurately official, but be-
fore launching, as was the case with the
Thistle, there was no course left to the
owner but to apply to the designer for the
necessary information. This was done and
the certificate of the designer was for
warded, stating it was impossible to give
exactly the water-lne length. This, how
ever is her designers length, and when she
is afioat and in racing trim have no reason
to expect it will be more than inch or two
out either way.
The importance Of accuracy in giving the
dimensions OF yacht challenge Tor the cup
is so great that any decision reached in any
one case cannot be used as precedent in
any other which may rise. Any great error
in any dimensions, whether through mis-
take or design, would violate the agreement.
A small one should be governed by the cir
cumstances attending it and always Oil the
liberal side. Although the variation between
the stated and actual load water line is SO
large as to be great disadvantage to the de-
fender of the cup, still as Mr.. Bell could
only rely upon the statement of his design,
he cannot in this particular case be held ac-
countable for the remarkably inaccurate in
formation received from him and l, there
fore, decide the variation not sufficient to
disqualify him from starting the Thistle in
the race agreed upon.
The iabove report is entirely satisfactory
to all the members of the Americas cup CON-
mittee and the New York Yacht Club
Mr.. Watson's Ideas.
G. L. Watson, the designer of the Thistle,
takes exception to the second paragraph OF
Referee Schuyler's decision, which reflects
somewhat ON the designer. Mr.. Watson,
after disclaiming any intention of unfairness
on the part of Mr.. Schuyler, says: "While
the Thistle has been sailed in Great Britain
as she will be here, at line lower than the
designers draft, and consequently from her
great overhang forward and aft 1 foot 5!
| inches longer than intended or supposed
she would be, most emphatically deny that
| had any intention that she should be
longer or shorter than the So feet she was
designed for. She is new type of boat,
built under ito mel new tonnage law, and
after getting her into sailing trim, the Yacht
Racing Association official measurer found
ner 10 De oo.4O Ieet long, or Lnree-nIths OF an
inch shorter than the New York Yacht Club
measurer found her. The New York yacht
scale of time allowance was supposed to ad.
just all differences in length and sail area
and was devised for the purpose. If, under
this rule, the extra length would
be of advantage, it would be al
unfair to accuse Mr.. Burgess o.
unchivalrous conduct in designing boat 10!
inches longer than the vessel he expected tt
meet, as to blame me fer meeting the Volun
teer with boat which is inadvertently five
inches longer than the Volunteer"